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Today’s ProJo says that the mayor of Cuyahoga Falls wants to take Waterfire home with him.

I wonder if Barnaby Evans and Sandor Bodo took some of their inspiration from the Cuyahoga, which once got so polluted that it caught fire and inspired Randy Newman’s lyrics– ‘Cleveland city of light, city of magic.’

Congratulations to Cuyahoga Falls for a successful river cleanup, and you guys can go right ahead and party around some braziers out there as far as I’m concerned. Though you’ll have to talk to Barney, I think.

Danger and opportunity, eh? These are uncertain times. Anyone who invents a good, green, practical device or technique may make their fortune now. I have posted about the Lifestraw, about the peanut butter wonder food, Plumpy Nut. I know some of our readers are smart people, because I read the comments (thanks guys).

Next Tuesday, May 13, the city of Cranston’s planning department will hold a meeting to get public input on the Comprehensive Plan. The meeting will take place in Cranston City Hall, Council Chambers, at 7 pm. This meeting will focus on updating the 5-year comprehensive plan, particularly in the areas of Housing, Natural Resources and Open Space and Recreation.

Rachel McNally of Save Cranston’s Open Space stresses the importance of public attendance at these meetings. The city needs to know what people care about in order to plan effectively. From SCOS:

The Plan is supposed to be updated every 5 years, but the current plan is dated 1992. The OPEN SPACE component of the Comprehensive Plan will be discussed and it is imperative that there is a large number of residents there to show that we are concerned as a City about Open Space, including the land at Mulligan’s. Below is the portion of the existing Comprehensive Plan that refers to the Mulligan’s land (the Cornfields) and if that is changed, then it could pave the way for future development proposals if it is not protected by the City!

The Comprehensive Plan was completed in February 1992 by Mayor Michael A. Traficante and City Plan Commission Walter McGarry Jr., Chairman and Kevin M. Flynn, Planning Director. Here are excerpts from it that refers to this issue:

â€œ…the ‘Cornfields,’ is not recommended for major economic development initiatives because of its proximity to nearby residential areas and a recreational site.”

“…The results of this survey, public hearings, and the meetings of the Citizens Advisory Committee were instrumental in establishing the overall major themes for this Comprehensive Plan.

THEMES

1. Sound growth management in Western Cranston based upon the preservation of significant tracts of open space through land regulatory techniques and other means. Open space in Western Cranston should be viewed as an important natural resource, worthy of preservation, for all of Cranstonâ€™s residents-those here today and those who will live here in future generations.

2. Enhancing quality of life opportunities within the more urbanized environment of Eastern Cranston-through rediscovery of the potential use inherent along natural resource corridors, such as rivers and urban ponds, and through creative adaptive reuse and improvements within the already built environment.”